“P” is for pomegranate juice and its potential prostate cancer protection. This is the pronouncement from results on a new trial from the University of California at Los Angeles. Researchers tracked prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in men who had undergone prostate cancer treatment, and found that those who drank a daily eight ounces of Pom Wonderful (a widely available brand) had significantly slower cancer progression.
Pomegranates helping your health
Christopher Amling, MD, a spokesman for the American Urological Association, told me that this study followed 48 men whose cancer had been treated with either surgery or radiation, monitoring the success of the treatment by tracking degree of change in PSA (this is called “PSA doubling time”). The pomegranate juice group fared far better than those who didn’t drink it, regardless of whether their initial treatment was radiation or surgery. In fact, in about one-third of men, PSA levels not only didn’t rise as fast, but actually decreased.
This research was presented at the 104th annual meeting of the American Urological Association.
Dr. Amling told me that researchers believe that the polyphenol antioxidants in pomegranate juice may slow cancer growth, noting that they have not isolated the specific active ingredients responsible. Since the juice contains dozens of plant-based chemicals, the combination may have a synergistic effect and seems to be more potent than any individual nutrient on its own.
Does this mean that pomegranate juice can prevent prostate cancer? That’s a claim no responsible researcher is willing to make. But it certainly seems to offer some protection for those with the disease. “Pomegranate juice looks promising as a nontoxic strategy for slowing the progression of prostate cancer, but its true benefit will be unknown until phase III trials are complete,” Dr. Amling said.
Source(s):
Christopher Amling, MD, a spokesman for the American Urological Association.
Reprinted with the permission of:
Bottom Line Publications/Daily Health News
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